[MCR] Icefields and Victoria

Athabasca and Victoria.

 

Thursday, Athabasca, North Face Bypass.  Very good conditions with storm snow settling and ice face in good snow ice conditions.  Scottish gully in easy condition.  Summit ridge more challenging than usual with up to 30 cm of snow over rock steps and fresh cornices.  Descent by AA is mostly snow.  Crevasses on AA glacier thinly bridged by storm snow.  Ramp route looked loaded and not very inviting.  Clear but cold and windy up high.

 

Today, climbed Victoria via Huber ledges and down to Abbott Pass.  Route was in excellent condition and should remain that way as long as it stays cold and dry.  The ledges are clear of snow.  Huber glacier is well covered;  Schrund is easy to cross and it is mostly good snow travel up to the ridge.  Along the ridge, the snow coverage has made all of the usually scrappy bits of gravel more straightforward with generally firm snow walking.  It was +9 at Ohara at 4 AM but wintry on the Victoria ridge with light precip with the passing of cells.

 

 

Marc Ledwidge

UIAGM

 

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